


A Familiar Face

by Lunarium



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-26 18:49:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5016115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/pseuds/Lunarium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While returning the runestone to the Blue Mountains, Tauriel runs across a very unusual elf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Familiar Face

**Author's Note:**

  * For [celaenos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/celaenos/gifts).



> For celaenos who wanted some adorable Tauriel moments with a lady she's saved. This idea went in a slightly different direction, but hope the surprise will be welcome! :)

Far deep into the thicket of the dark trees was carried the fair elven laughter and song, barely penetrating Tauriel out of her reverie. How unusual and distant the sound seemed to her, alien as though she had not heard such for an era. It indeed seemed an eternity since the Battle, so far from this place. A whole winter had passed, and the remains of ice dripping from the tips of branches waking with new life was a reminder that there too was once life in this entire world. 

Another round of laughter made her reach for her necklace out of habit. She had once done so any time she grew nervous as a small child, reaching for the only reminder of her mother, though in the end she had given away that necklace to the elvenqueen whom she harbored a love for. And the queen would protect it, her mother’s necklace: a long black string held on to a wooden circle, a piece of branch cut and polished, the painting of the singular green leaf faded from the long years of its existence.

She had thought she had done away with her bad habit, but her hand had still shot up to grab for it, either for protection or to prevent any from stealing, she did not know. The string around her neck wasn’t the same as the one of her youth, holding up a pouch inside which was a small labradorite. She pulled out the stone to examine it. The dwarven runes gleamed in the flickers of sunlight peeking behind the maze of leaves above, as did the surface of the stone, the promise lovingly etched into the earthen jewel. 

She had promised to protect the one who owned it, but now it rested in her hand, awaiting to be returned, the news delivered as miles from this spot, the body settled cold in its grave. She could not bear the thought of what would transpire in that mountain once she told the mother of the dwarven soldiers. It was nearly grating now to hear the laughter of the other elven women, lucky to possess no worries of their own, no grieves or guilt settling like lead in their stomachs. 

She passed a pathway when one of the elves danced by, turned her head, gasped, and jumped into the trees with a cry of shocked delight. Tauriel rolled her eyes and carried on her way when suddenly the elf’s face was right before her again. She hung upside down, knees curled about the bough of the great tall tree. Her large dark eyes were full of mirth, and some of her long black hair caught on her chin or still clinging to her forehead. 

“It’s you!” the elf said breathlessly. “Sweet light of the stars, it is you!” 

Tauriel took a step back, glancing over her shoulder in slim chance the elf wasn’t addressing her. But none was behind her, and the elf continued to study her with amazement. 

“Er, pardon me?” she said as politely as she could. “I do not think I am the person you are thinking of.” 

“Ah, but you are! You cut your hair, and but what’s left is still so red it caught my eye, and what chance! Perladiel’s daughter! My rescuer!” 

Dazed, Tauriel stumbled back. It had been the first time she had had ever heard of her mother’s name, if it was truly that, for she never knew it and neither had the king and queen who found her, near death, out in the dark forest. 

The other elf swung down, landing on her feet just inches from Tauriel. From this angle, Tauriel couldn’t help but notice the beauty of the other woman, and a rush of heat flowed to her cheeks. The skin of the other elf was a soft brown, her long hair thick and reaching past her hips. Dark eyes held a pure glint in the sunlight.

Tauriel shook herself out of her reverie. Pretty as the other elf was, there was another matter to get to. 

“Perladiel,” she repeated slowly. “That is no name for a Silvan elf, not one of Mirkwood.” 

“Because she wasn’t a Silvan, and hasn’t stepped once into Mirkwood that I know of,” the other said. “You’re one of the Penni, don’t you know that, my hero?” 

“Penni?” She was a Silvan elf as far as she knew, but something about the word triggered a memory, faint and wispy as a passing fog. 

“Pethril may be what your king would name her,” the other elf said. “She was a beloved storyteller to us, or so I was told. I only have an illustration of her, but she looks so much like you, my valiant hero!”

 _I was not of Mirkwood?_ Tauriel thought in disappointment before shaking herself back to the present again. 

“You keep saying I’m your hero! Sorry, but I do not recall ever rescuing you. I have never been to these parts of Middle-earth! Do you even know my name, if you know my mother’s?”

“Tauriel!” the other elf sang out the name, making Tauriel blush again at how wonderful it sounded on the other’s lips. “And of course you don’t remember having rescued me, silly!” she ran up and embraced Tauriel. “That’s because it hasn’t happened yet!” 

In the silence, the whirl of wind rustled through the tree branches. Tauriel continued to stare at the other elf, mouth slightly open. The grief was still too near in her heart, she had no time for any foolish fun, and the words that just sprung from the other wasn’t helping in her confusion. 

“How can you be so certain?” Tauriel added, watching the other intently, who only smiled. 

“My people, the Kinn-lai, can be gifted with foresight,” she explained. “I knew the daughter of Perladiel would return here some day, as the paths of your family and mine have crossed for many Ages since the first rise of the Sun. And I know you will come to save me, and for that I will love you forever, though it hasn’t happened yet and I do not know the details of this event. Though I must confess I feel I am falling for you already!” 

Tauriel swallowed thickly. “Right…”

She would have written off the elf as an utter loon and turned her back to leave, but something kept Tauriel grounded. Her king had never revealed to her of what kin her mother belonged, and if there was an illustration that existed of her, it could be the first step towards discovery of her past. 

But there was still the matter of the runestone she had to return to the mother of the dwarf she failed to save. 

Tauriel smiled bitterly to herself as the elf finally let go of her and danced merrily about her. “If you think me a hero, then you are mistaken. I’ve failed before.” 

The elf paused and turned back, watching Tauriel with sympathy. “The stone belonged to one of the dwarves in the Mountain? I can accompany you there, and then I’ll show you your mother’s portrait. Hero you may be, but it doesn’t mean you have to do everything alone.” 

A flash of sunlight fell on the other elf, and Tauriel’s eyes widened. 

“What is that you have?” she demanded, storming up to the other and pulling up the necklace she wore. A round brooch made of wood, a leaf painted in green. 

“That’s my mother’s necklace,” Tauriel gasped. 

“This is _my_ mother’s necklace,” the other elf corrected. “Our mothers had matching ones, as did their mothers, and theirs. See? I told you our history is entwined!” 

She laughed. There was something in her scent, mingled with that of the forest, which awoke memories and emotions far too profound for Tauriel to ignore. Though she could not remember it, her history once was part of this, possibly entwined with her, as the necklace seemed to suggest. And she was a fair elf. Fairest one she had seen, Tauriel decided. Though she had fostered infatuations for the Mirkwood Queen and fellow scouts, there was a deeper sort of love promised in the large dark eyes and soft smile of the other elf. 

“I will have you follow me,” Tauriel said, “but what is your name? For one who is so important in my past and future, I hardly know you!”

The other chuckled and embraced Tauriel again, her scent again setting her at ease. “I am called Manadhes.” 

“ _What?_ ” Tauriel asked, feeling as though she had just fallen dead smack onto a large boulder. She glanced down at Manadhes, wondering what thought had flitted through her mother’s mind when she beheld her infant for the first time and declared her “doom.” 

“Your mother…”

“Yes,” Manadhes laughed. “She had an odd sort of humor. But I love my name nonetheless, how it surprises others! Now, where in the mountain where you going?” 

“I do not know. It is the mother of Kíli and Fíli, sister-sons of Thorin I need to see.” 

Manadhes nodded. “I know where Lady Dís resides. We’ve done business; she likes the rugs my family and I make. Now, come!” 

Manadhes linked her arm around Tauriel’s own, and feeling at ease, Tauriel followed. She had no obligation to return to Mirkwood, her relationship with the king being still on shaky ground, but an entire new adventure awaited her, with keys to unlock a past. And should the day come when Manadhes needs saving, Tauriel will be prepared, and no matter what she will not fail again.

**Author's Note:**

> The Kinn-lai and Penni are both tribes of Avari elves. While Tauriel and Manadhes's blood may be mingled with other races of elves, I wanted to explore their connections with the Avari, who I find fascinating. There's also a bit of headcanon here, mainly that the Kinn-lai are gifted with enchantments, foresight, and so on, and the Penni...they all have red hair like Tauriel. :) (And yes indeed Manadhes's name mean "fate/doom" - I laughed so much when I came across it I had to use it!) Hope you enjoyed! I loved writing this and hope to explore this pairing again in the future!


End file.
